1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor module fabricated by sealing a semiconductor element connected to a heat radiation metal plate of which a surface is cooled by a refrigerant, and also relates to a semiconductor device comprising a stack of semiconductor modules.
2. Description of the Related Art
The semiconductor device of this type generally comprises a semiconductor module including at least a semiconductor element, at least a metal plate thermally connected with the semiconductor element to transmit the heat from the semiconductor element and a seal member for containing and sealing the semiconductor element and the metal plate in such a manner as to expose the heat radiation surface of the metal plate. The radiation surface of the metal plate is cooled by a refrigerant.
This semiconductor device is so configured as to easily radiate the heat generated in the semiconductor element. Therefore, for example, the semiconductor device is used for a power converter. In recent years, demand for a lower cost and a smaller size of this device has increased.
A conventional semiconductor device having a simple cooling structure for heat radiation has been proposed, in which a semiconductor module sealed with seal member are fixed at an upper wall and a bottom plate in a case to form a refrigerant path between semiconductor module and the case, (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-119667.
However, the refrigerant paths of the conventional art are formed between the semiconductor module and the case and, therefore, the space for arranging the cases is required, thereby correspondingly increasing the size of the device as compared with the semiconductor module.